Many people understand the risk of getting too much sun. The UV rays can bring aging effects on the skin and even increase the risk of skin cancer. Indeed, we got more sun exposure than the dermatologists have recommended because being out in the sun is awesome. However, your dermatologist is right. Any amount of sun can put you at risk of skin cancer and photo-aging.
It is no coincidence that in order to safely tan, it basically boils down to understanding how sun protection works in general. As you understand such things, you can apply this knowledge to your situation whether you are on the mountaintop, beach, or in your backyard.
Increased Protection During Peak Times
You must consider two things if you are deciding on how to apply your sunscreen. It is the time of the year and the time of the day. The sun is strongest between 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. During summer, it is also more direct. This is when the quadrant of the world is angled towards the star. During this time of the day and in these months, you must be mindful of skin safety even as you safely tan.
You must wear SPF on any day of the year. You can opt for tanning injections too which are safer. Just because it is winter does not mean that there are no harmful UV rays present. You will likely get a tan in winter, however, it is still common to get a sunburn. You can still try getting lower doses like an SPF 15 moisturizer during winter versus SPF30 in summer.
Avoid the Sunbeds
Don’t believe that the sunbeds can give you a healthy tan. It is the wrong UV. The tanning beds will pump out huge amounts of UVA. It will not give you UVB that can stimulate vitamin D. It can increase your risk of having skin cancer by 75%. You can opt for tanning injections instead which are a great option to safely tan. Another option is sunless tanning with bronzers and sunless tanning lotion.
Go on a Healthy Diet
Take note that you are dealing with your skin, which is the largest body part. To make it function right, make sure that you consume the right kind of food. See to it that you eat sun-friendly food in your everyday fare. Some food types will increase the lycopene production in your body. Lycopene refers to the body’s SPF. Some food that is rich in lycopene are tomatoes, papaya, grapefruit, and watermelon. These foods can help protect your skin so you can safely tan.
According to experts, the antioxidant polyphenol can help you to have a naturally great tan. You can get this antioxidant from black chokeberries, green tea, dark chocolate, and star anise.
Moreover, some foods can protect your skin from too much sun exposure. Eat food like almonds, carrots, pomegranates, and leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, green lettuce, and Swiss chard.
Know When to Apply
As a general rule, it is best to apply sunscreen every 15 minutes before direct exposure to sunlight. This will provide you enough time to soak the sunscreen into your skin. Thereafter, reapply it every 2 hours to maintain maximum coverage. Even if you want your skin a beautiful shade of brown, it’s important to know how to safely tan without damaging your skin.
